US says its airstrike kills 5 militants in central Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The U.S. military has announced Sunday that it launched an airstrike that killed five extremist militants in central Somalia.

The U.S. Africa Command confirmed to the Associated Press that the airstrike was near El-Bur.

The U.S. said it assessed that no civilians were killed in the airstrike.

Two Somali intelligence officials told AP on Sunday that the airstrike targeted a vehicle carrying senior al-Shabab officials and the dead included a woman. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity for their security.

Al-Shabab officials did not immediately comment on the incident. However, pro-al-Shabab media outlets reported that only two civilians were killed in the airstrike, quoting senior commanders of the militant group.

The U.S. has carried out more than a dozen drone strikes against al-Shabab since last year, after the Trump administration approved expanded military efforts against the extremist group.

The U.S. said the latest airstrike, like others, was carried out in co-operation with Somalia's government.

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